Shawn Marion scored 15 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, helping the Phoenix Suns stave off Houston's rally in a 102-87 win over the Rockets on Saturday night.

Shawn Marion scored 15 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, helping the Phoenix Suns stave off Houston's rally in a 102-87 win over the Rockets on Saturday night. [Reuters]

Stephon Marbury had 25 points, Joe Johnson 16 and Casey Jacobsen 12 in the victory, new Suns coach Mike D'Antoni's second in six games since he replaced Frank Johnson.

Marion also had 11 rebounds for his 12th double-double, the eighth in 10 games.

Kelvin Cato had 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Rockets, who were trying to extend a two-game win streak. Cuttino Mobley also scored 16, and Yao Ming and Steve Francis had 14 each.

Marion pulled up for a 14-foot jumper with 9:13 left in the game, breaking a 67-67 tie — the last of 11 in the contest.

Seconds later, Jacobsen made a 3-pointer.

The Suns finally opened a 78-72 lead — the biggest for either team since the second quarter — when Marion stole a pass and made a runner with 6:01 to go.

Phoenix centers Jahidi White and Jake Voskuhl fouled out in a 31-second span late in the game, but Johnson had a three-point play and another 3-pointer as the Suns outscored Houston 10-6 in a three-minute surge simultaneous with the loss of their big men.

Marion punctuated the spurt with a flying dunk after driving from the side. That made it 88-80 with 3:11 to go.

Marbury, scoreless in the fourth until that point, made three free throws on a crucial play with 2:32 to go. Francis drew a technical foul from referee Rodney Mott for protesting the call against him, and Marion made that before Marbury's foul shots gave Phoenix a 92-82 lead.

The lead changed twice in the fourth quarter — the second time on Leandro Barbosa's 3-pointer with 10:09 remaining, lifting Phoenix to a 67-65 lead.

After two free throws by Yao, Marion made his jumper in transition.

Houston made six of its first 10 shots, but then missed six in a row while Marbury scored nine points during a 15-0 run by the Suns. They opened a 20-12 lead on Jacobsen's layup with 1:59 left in the first quarter.

Yao's absence helped Phoenix — he played only three minutes after picking up two fouls, and got the third trying to stop Marion's dunk attempt with 7:21 left in the second quarter.

Marion made both free throws for a 32-29 lead, but the Rockets tied it on Cato's three-point play 19 seconds later and led by five — 39-34 — after two foul shots by Moochie Norris with 5:29 left.

That was the biggest lead by either team until the Phoenix stretch drive.

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